William chaeles edge



(No Model.)

W. 0. EDGE.

BAR WIRE AND CATCH.

No. 360,423. Pate-hted Apr. 5,1887.-

WITNESSES:

Wu. C. 2

ATTORNEY N. PETERS PhutwLiihograplver. Waihmglon. D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM CHARLES EDGE, OF NEVVAR-K, NEW JERSEY.

EAR WIRE AND CATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,423, dated April 5, 1887.

Application filed February 4, 1887. Serial No. 226,535. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CHARLES EDGE, of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Ear Ornament, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide an ear ornament which will lie close to the lobe of the ear, be easily removable, and nevertheless remain firmly on the ear as long as desired.

The invention consists in providing the ornament or ornament-holder with a bowed or U- shaped piece to i'nclose the lobe of the ear and a projection to pass through the ear, with a catch on the end of the projection to prevent the ornament from becoming disengaged, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure l is a side View, partly in section, of

my improved ear wire and catch, showing it in an unlocked position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it in a locked position. Fig. 3 is a rear View of same. Fig. 4. is a side view, partly in section, of another modification. Fig. 5 is a similar view of still another modifica-tion.

A in the drawings represents a gem-holder or other ornament for the lobe of the ear. 'Secured to the back of the holder A is the bowed or U-shaped piece a, of wire or other analogous material. On the upper end of the U- shaped piece a is a horizontal arm, I), preferably at right angles thereto, and provided on its free end with a hooklike catch, (1. On the other end of the U'shaped piece a is a bellmouthed socket, B, which has an opening, 6, to receive and hold the catch d, as in Fig. 2, whenever the catch (1 and socket B are brought together. The wire a is made of springy metal in a single piece. Over the outer side of the socket B, I may place a cap, 0, to protect the end of the catch (1 from coming in contact with an obstacle or inj uring the wearer.

In the form shown in Fig. t the arm I) is prolonged on its attached end, as at D, to receive any desired ornament or gem holder, A. v

In Fig. 5 the socket B is shown integral with the gem-holder, the catch (1 extending forward, while in the other figures said catch extends backward from the wire a.

Either of the above described methods may be used.

To attach the ornament it is simply necessary to pass the arm b through the ear and bring the two ends together, when the catch (1, passing into the socket B, will catch and hold the ornament close to the lobe of the ear.

To release the ornament the catch is disengaged from the socket, whereupon the arm b may be removed from the car easily.

I do not confine myself to the precise eonstruetion of details herein shown, as the wire a need not be U-shaped, but may have any other desired configurationas, for instance, it might be made in the form of a. circle with the catch d on the free end; nor is the precise form of ornamentholder A shown necessary to my invention, as any desired ornament or pendant may be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I do not claim a jointed arm in lieu of the spring-bow a. Shell jointed arms are old; but the Spring-bow a in one piece tends to hold the parts by its spring-pressure in the locked position, whereas jointed arms are liable to work loose.

Having now drscribed my invention, what I claim isl. The springbow a, made in one piece with the arm I) and catch d, and carrying the socket B and ornament A, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The spring-bow a, made in one piece and combined with the arm I), having catch (1, and with the perforated socket B and the cap 0, substantial] y as herein shown and described.

WILLIAM CHARLES EDGE.

Witnesses: v

CHARLES E. \VATERs, CHANDLER W. BIKER. 

